I don't think that you need to change out your tank. Many of us (me, at least) have 40+ year old tanks. Sure, there's crud and rust and barnacles up the ying-yang in there, but if you have two filters and make sure that the brass "sock" is in place, you're good to go.

The filter I installed clogged solid in about 12 miles of running. Nothing metallic in the sludge that came out. Replacement filter had sediment within minutes.

I had to have it towed home from a test drive into town a few days ago. :( Interestingly enough, I got the same tow driver that I got when I bought the bus and extracted it from its resting place in the woods.

So, the tank is the next step. I'm a little nervous taking the engine out by myself.. wish I had someone to walk me through it the first time.

Twelve miles to a completely clogged filter? It's definitely time de-rust and seal up that gas tank. Some of the specifics here will be wrong (newer bus), but it's a good place to start.

As for removing your engine, you should be fine with the Bentley and probably even the Idiot Book (if you only get one, get the Bentley). The rear apron or whatever you want to call it--the part of the body below your engine hatch--comes out, allowing you to pull the engine straight out the back. I'm pretty sure you don't even need to jack the bus up, though you will need a jack under the engine so you can move it.

Pulling the engine is something you can easily do yourself. Your first go around, taking your time and all, I'd bet if you started after breakfast you'd easily have it out before supper, even with a break at lunch. The next time you'll have it out before lunch.

I've got the Idiot's book and a green covered "Official Service Manual." The latter book lists the engine removal process as 11 steps. It can't be that hard, I guess. Thanks for the encouraging words. Now to research a shop that can do the tank for me and once that's ironed out, I'll give the engine removal a try.

(I really picked horrible timing to get this bus up and running. I only have outdoor work space and.. well, it looks like it might snow any minute.)

Refurbing the tank yourself is easy too. Resist the urge to have it boiled out by a radiator shop unless you know you can get it painted almost immediately afterward (humid PNW+bare metal=you're back where you started, rusty tank-wise).

Something that struck me as I reread this is that you need to abandon any ideas you have about getting a "new" tank. You're about thirty years late to that party: there's no such thing. That Vanagon tank linked to above may well be brand new but it's about as similar to your bus' tank as is the tank from a Harley-Davidson; that is, not even barely, remotely close (they don't even live at the same end of the vehicle--Vanagon tanks are in front, bus tanks in back).

The best you can get replacement-wise is a used tank that someone else has taken out an refurbished. Easier and cheaper to just do it yourself to your existing tank.